I do not own MBAV, nor am I getting paid for this.
Father Dearest
Five Months, Part 2
~3rd Person's P.O.V.~
It was the following Sunday that CPS came to The Weir's residence. David opened the door.
"Hello, Mr. Weir?" Said a serious looking black woman.
"You another Jehovah's Witness? I still don't care."
"Sir, I'm from the Child Protective Services. I'm Mrs. DeMarco. May I come in?"
David was instantly fuming. Mrs. DeMarco could not see it, but Benny felt the palpable presence of his anger from the doorway he stood in. "Of course." He stepped aside to let her in. "Just letting you know, you couldn't have come on a more unsightly day."
"How so?" She questioned.
"Well, tomorrow is grocery day, so the fridge is pretty bare as we've been eating out. I haven't had a chance yet to furnish the house entirely, as this used to be enough. Now with Benny here, things are seeming sparser..." He went on, but Mrs. DeMarco had spotted Benny. Her expression cleared of any emotion other than openness.
"Hello, you must be Benny."
"Hi." He said, reaching forward and shaking her hand. "Ma'am, if I may, why are you here?"
"There as a complaint anonymously called in that you were being abused and neglected here." She said, straight to the point. "I'm not allowed to question you as a minor without your guardian present, but I'd like a statement from you."
Benny glanced over at David, who was positively glowering. He looked back at the woman. "Of course not. Who called?"
"I'm not allowed to say." She said, sniffing uncomfortably. "Why are you so skinny?"
"Um..." Benny fumbled for words. "It's not that obvious, is it?" She did not answer, waiting. "Well, you see, I... I haven't had a great appetite since Grammy died..."
She nodded her sympathies and accepted the answer, then turned and looked back at David. "Mr. Weir, I'd like to look around the rooms, if you don't mind."
"It's no trouble." He said, letting her walk away. As he followed, he stopped just long enough to speak so only Benny could hear. "I'm going to fucking kill you."
Benny's blood went cold.
After she left, with a list of warnings to remind David what he needed to do to avoid another "false alarm", he turned to a cowering Benny.
"Snitched, huh?"
"No."
"Fucking liar."
"I swear!" Benny cried out. "I didn't call!"
"...Was it your little friend, then?" He asked, fists clenched.
"I don't know." Benny answered honestly, his own anger rising.
"That stupid little bitch." David said, turning toward the door.
"No, please!" Benny begged. "I'll talk to him. I can make him stop. Please, don't do it."
David looked at him. "I can't risk it. I need him to know I mean business."
"I'll make sure of it." Benny said. "Don't hurt him." A little hiccupped sob escaped him.
After a little more words came the physical beating, and Benny knew he was only barely going to make it to school tomorrow.
As soon as Ethan saw him, his knees almost collapsed in both worry and relief.
Benny refrained from saying a word until he had dragged Ethan away into the bathroom again.
"Benny, how are you?"
"...CPS, huh?" He said darkly.
"What?"
"You called, didn't you?" Benny looked hard into Ethan's eyes. "They came to our house, Ethan. I almost got taken away!"
Ethan stepped backward, stunned. "Benny, I didn't..."
"Liar."
"I promise!" he bowed his head. "Actually, I almost did. But I didn't even hit call. It wasn't me, Benny, I wouldn't disrespect you that way."
"You are the only person that knows, Ethan." He warned. "Now tell the truth." He grabbed Ethan's arms, and the Seer was drawn into a vision.
Samantha stood there with her hand over her mouth, watching her son scream at the screen. They were watching Benny getting beat. She quickly drew out her phone and dialed CPS, not hesitating to confess what she had witnessed.
Ethan came back, gasping. "Benny, it was my mom. She saw."
Benny went pale, and took a step back. "She wouldn't have."
"Of course she would've." Ethan said. "She doesn't know how you feel, and al she saw was where you are now, and what that's like."
Benny shook his head. "I can't let this happen again, Ethan."
"I'll explain things to her." He reasoned. "Maybe she'll -"
"No, Ethan." He looked up with empty yet saddened eyes. "I'm breaking up with you."
